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Monday, November 7, 2016

The Great Plan

Hey everyone :)

We had a super good week in our area helping our investigators to continue progressing towards baptism. Our investigator Aaron is doing really well we had a super awesome lesson with him and his wife Natasha and we are just finalizing things for his baptism. Paige is amazing she is continuing to progress she is so patient as she is waiting for her adoption to be finalize. She has been reading the book of Mormon for the first time and following Elder Stevenson counsel to read 10 mins a day. She is on 2 Nephi and you can see the change from reading the Book of Mormon has been for her. She was talking to us about her personal progress and how much she wants to receive her medallion. Paige is really learning how the gospel is a way of life and how the commandments and opportunities the lord gives us how us to become who he wants us to be.

One morning I was studying for our investigator Kahbrea who isn't really progressing and she keeps accepting baptism dates but getting her to church has been a struggle. She has a less active mom, but so many people in the ward who are willing to pick her up. And lately we have been thinking about what is really going to push her even more towards the gospel. As I was thinking about this the book of Mormon popped into my head. I went to Chapter 5 in Preach my Gospel and just started thinking about how we can help Kahbrea to read the book of Mormon, we got to teach her that day and we read 1 Nephi 3 with her and her mom and we taught as we read. At the end we asked her if she wanted to find out what happened next? She wanted to know she we left with her the commitment to read the next chapter. It was perfect. It probably one f the best feelings to wake up and receive revelation on how to help our investigators its an everyday thing. It's just awesome to turn to heavenly father and to receive his help because he knows his children he knows how to help them.

We got a late night phone call from our high councilor who asked us to visit a woman who was recently homeless and had been picked up on the street and in the hospital. It was really heartbreaking, she has no one. So we went to visit her and shared with her a message about the Savior. We gave her a conference Ensign for her to be able to read since to missed conference. We also had a lesson with one of our less actives Cathleen. Her son was born with a twisted intestine and he has been very sick every since. He has had multiple surgeries and been through way more than any 3 year old should go through. Cathleen has truly leaned on her faith to be able to get through,her family isn't very supportive of her faith and she spends most of the time taking care of her son who stays hooked up to machines and needs constant care. He is having another surgery this week, and we went over to share with her the conference talk "The Master Healer" by Sister Carole Stephens. We testified about the Savior and our Heavenly Father. And you know what do you say to a woman who may lose her son in an upcoming surgery? We asked her how she was feeling with the surgery coming up, she confided in us her fears broke down in tears as she was holding her son. Immediately I thought about this paragraph in the talk "As we increase our understanding of the doctrine of Christ, we soon discover that we are developing a deeper understanding of "the great plan of happiness" We also recognize that our Savior, Jesus Christ is at the very heart of the plan" That is the key the plan of happiness and the Savior without such knowledge trials and mortal endings would seem unbearable. But because we have the opportunity to come to know the Savior here on this earth we come to understand his invitation in Matthew 11 "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give your rest" We left Sister Records with this testimony that we are truly gods children and we will also be his. It was probably one of the hardest lessons I've taught on my mission, I was with Sister Sorenson for the day and we just went out to the car and balled. We wanted to bad to promise her that her son was going to survive surgery, but we couldn't. It wasn't our promise to give, what we did promise her though that "he will be on her right hand and on her left, and his Spirit would be in her heart, and his angels round about her to bear her up". Our Heavenly Father loves us, he truly love us.

We were also able to teach Christina a lesson this week and we invited her daughter Alexis to be taught and baptized on the same day. She seems pretty excited about it.

This week I got to be companions with my favorite people out here sister Zitting and Sorenson different days but it was so good to be with them. Its been a good week. I can't believe that we are getting in holiday times, I sure do love the people in Idaho. It so good to see this peoples lives change through the gospel and becoming who our heavenly father truly wants us to become.

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Welcome!

I'm Crystal! well Sister Cleveland now. these are my adventures and stories of my mission serving and loving the people in the Idaho Nampa Mission.

Mission Scripture

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.